Nurses union to press for minimum hospital staffing ratios in D.C.

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

A major nurses union is bringing a campaign to write minimum hospital staffing ratios into law to the District, kicking off a major legislative fight with hospital owners and operators.

According to National Nurses United, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson will introduce the "Patient Protection Act" on Tuesday at the union's request. National Nurses United first came to D.C. in 2010, when nurses at MedStar Washington Hospital Center voted amid a year-long labor to affiliate with the California group.

The union has scheduled a press conference Monday morning to discuss the bill and release a study on patient safety that will presumably be used to bolster their argument for the law.

Seeing the bill as a major threat to hospitals' financial stability, the D.C. Hospital Association is ramping up a fierce effort to kill the bill, president Robert Malson said last week. The number of nurses needed to safely care for a patient varies constantly with their condition, he said, and neither private health insurers, the government nor patients will be willing to shoulder higher labor costs imposed by a mandate. ...

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2013/02/04/nurses-union-to-press-for-minimum.html

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

Proposed legislation seeks to address inadequate nurse staffing at DC hospitals

Area nurses are calling it a critical patient care issue. They are concerned that there are not enough nurses for the number of patients being cared for at area hospitals.

The D.C. Council is expected to address the issue by holding public meetings as they consider The Patient Protection Act.

"Across the District, patient safety is regularly threatened because hospital corporations refuse to ensure that there are enough registered nurses working at the bedside," said Bonnie Linen Caroll, a registered nurse.

The legislation would call for a certain ratio when it comes to nurses and the number of patients currently in their unit. Also, the law would protect whistleblowers, and do away with mandatory overtime.

The District of Columbia Hospital Association would like to discuss this issue with area nurses, but does not believe this is an issue that should be addressed through local legislation.

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

Bonnie Linen-Carroll,
RN
, an OR nurse at Washington Hospital Center, emphasized, "I have dedicated my life to providing nursing care to people who are at their most vulnerable," she said. Linen-Carroll set her sites on intransigent management. "The hospital corporations refuse to ensure that there are enough registered nurses working at the bedside."

Daily Kos: Nurses lead push for safer care in DC hospitals
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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

We, as nurses, need to stand strong on these issues....

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Administration (briefly).

And it's about time!

In fact, it's about time we all did.

A new book is out on the California Nurses detailing how and why they were able to succeed when no one else has.

Powerful story with a message for all nurses- we are not powerless.

"just a union...of nurses" Legacy Book Publishing

Amazon

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Administration (briefly).

Hi Herring_RN, long time no talk

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

Oct 10, 2013, 1:31pm EDT

Nursing staffing bill back on D.C. Council agenda

The D.C. Council Health Committee has finally rescheduled a public hearing on the controversial Patient Protection Act a bill that would impose strict nurse-to-patient staffing minimums throughout District hospitals. ...

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/2013/10/nursing-staffing-bill-back-on-dc.html

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